


I’ve Been The Archer

by wtfnoir



Series: the agreste children [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Based on a Taylor Swift Song, Emma Agreste deserves the world, F/M, Post-Reveal Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, mom/daughter - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:33:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29244357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wtfnoir/pseuds/wtfnoir
Summary: Enduring trauma at any point in your life is never easy, it never was supposed to be. But having trauma thrown at you during your entire time as a teenager is something no one should have to face. No one should ever have to. But for Emma Agreste, the world had decided it was her who should get the trauma token, she should be the one who Archer’s everyone’s pain. She was The Archer. (Based on The Archer by Taylor Swift)
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Emma Agreste, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Emma Agreste & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: the agreste children [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2116146
Kudos: 15





	1. Why Do I Care?

Enduring trauma at any point in your life is never easy, it never was supposed to be. But having trauma thrown at you during your entire time as a teenager is something no one should have to face. No one should ever have to. 

But for Emma Agreste, the world had decided it was her who should get the trauma token. It was her who should face it all and harbor all of the pain. It was little Miss Emma Agreste who should care too much, it was her who should lose her first boyfriend to suicide, it was her who carried everyone’s pain, and it was her who saved all of Paris each and everyday.

The 17 year old woke up everyday and did the same thing. Go to school for half the day, defeat an akuma with Noir, go home and do homework, do patrols around Paris, go to bed and repeat it all again the next day. Also add in anxiety attacks, with crying and screaming, and the ability to create and move things with her mind.

So yeah, you could say Emma’s world is a bit fucked up. Or that Emma is fucked up. Emma had always asked herself why she cared so much? Why did she take in everyone else’s pain? Why was it her who was Paris’ golden girl? Why was she The Archer?

Emma was sitting at her desk trying to do her homework when she looked up at her kwami Tikki and said, “Tikki, do you know why I care so much?”. “I would say it’s because of the way you were raised, or because you are that kind of person Emma,” Tikki responded, “Why do you ask Emma?”.

“I’ve just been thinking about it. Just ya know asking myself the questions I ask myself everyday. Questions like, why do I care so much? Why do I take in everyone else’s pain? Why I’m The Archer?” Emma said. “What do you mean by being The Archer?” Tikki said flying over to her chosen.

“I mean that I’m the one who takes care of everyone, I’m the one who never feels okay, I’m the one who everyone leaves, I’m the one no one truly cares about. I’ve always been The Archer. It’s just how I am.” Emma said as she flopped onto her bed. 

“Emma, it’s okay not to feel the best all the time. Not everyone is leaving you. I am here, your Maman and Papa are here, and Louis and Hugo are too. Sure you may have lost people in the past few years but, you have gained some too.” Tikki said as she saw a tear fall down Emma’s face, “If you only knew how many people cared about you. You would be surprised.”

“I know people care about me Tikki. It’s just...” Emma hesitated, “It just feels like I can never just have great thing anymore. I can’t have a relationship, I can’t have some friends, I can’t have a normal day, I can’t not cry on a daily basis. I have to lie to everyone and say “I’m fine” or “Nothings wrong!”. I mean I’m pretty sure everyone can see right through me though. Yet they don’t say anything.” 

“Not a single word.” 

———————————————————

As soon as Emma was asleep, Tikki checked what time it. Emma’s clock read 22:45. Tikki figured both Marientte and Adrien would still be awake. Tikki made her way downstairs into the family room and found the pair.

“How is your new class going?” Marinette asked Adrien. “It’s going alright. I miss having Emma and Justin in it but, it’s going alright.” “Good, I’m glad it’s going good for you.” Adrien smiled at his wife, he looked over and saw a little red streak go by.

“I think we have a visitor M’lady.” Adrien said. Marinette looked up in confusion, “It’s a Thursday night, who would be visiting us?”. Adrien pointed the door way of the family room. Tikki was floating in the doorway when Marinette looked.

“I know I’m not supposed to out her but, I think Emma needs some acknowledgment.” Tikki said flying over to Marinette. “What do you mean acknowledgment?” 

“Earlier she told me that she felt like no one actually cared about her, that she had the archer everyone’s pain, and how she feels that people can see right through her lies.” Tikki explained to Marinette.

Marinette looked at Adrien and said, “I know you want to help, and I know you want to step up and show her it’s going to be okay. But, this time it has to be me who talks to her. It has to be me.” “But I know what it’s like to feel that way, we both do Marinette.” 

“I know that Adrien, but it’s different for me and her. It’s different for everyone. I just think it’s time I told her about my history with her miraculous, and the trials and tribulations I went through with the ladybug miraculous.” “Okay I get it, but if she knows about your history with it, should she know about mine?”

“No, it’s already enough I’m telling her about me, I don’t want to bombard Emma.” “I get that, I just don’t want her to feel that no one cares about her.” “No one in this house wants to feel that way, you and I both know that.” Marinette said.

“Emma’s strong. Stronger then someone at her age should be. She can handle herself but we need to step in and show her people love and care about her.” Adrien said and Marinette nodded.


	2. I Hope I Never Lose You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> emma finally reveals it all. this chapter is VERY inspired by “cornelia street” and “long story short” by taylor swift, so you can listen to either of those while reading this chapter!!

Emma was on her way home from school when she felt her phone vibrate and saw a message from her Maman, “Hey Ems! I want you to meet me in mine and your Papa’s room when you get home ! We need to talk :).”

Emma walked into the Agreste house and walked to her parents room, “Hey Maman, you said we needed to talk?” Emma said walking up to Marinette. Marinette gasped as she looked up from her phone, “Oh Emma! You can’t just scare me like that!” Emma laughed at her frightened Mom. 

“But yes we do need to talk, sit dow Ems.” Emma sat down and said, “What’s up?”. Emma has noticed that Marinette was looking at her earrings, they were after all the Ladybug Miraculous. “Where did you get your earrings?” “Oh I think from this little shop near the house. I think I got them a few months ago. Do you not like them or?”

“No! I love them! It’s just they look familiar to me, almost like I myself wore them at a point and had a kwami who helped me save Paris everyday!” Marinette replied looking at a puzzled Emma. “Maman what are you talking about?”.

“Oh the fact that I gave you those earrings, Luckybug. Tikki did mention that me and your Papa were friends will Ladybug, did she not?”. Emma nodded her yes, “So you are telling me that you gave me this?” Emma said panicking, “So if that’s true then your Ladybug?”

“That would be correct Emma,” Marinette said, ”Tikki told me about the conversation you had with her yesterday.” “What did she tell you?” “That you fell that you care to much, you feel that no one cares, and that you carry everyone’s pain.” 

Emma looked down at the ground trying to hold back her tears, she was trying to hold back all of it. She had always felt that she had to hold it back. “She didn’t lie you know, all of what she told you is true.” Emma replied taking a deep breath and looking at Marinette. 

Emma had the look on her face, the look of tiredness, self-doubt, and disappointment all in one. Marinette knew what it was like to wear that face.

She knew what it was like to be in Emma’s position, she knew it better then anyone. “Emma, this job, if you would say it that way, is harder then anything. You have to constantly put on this mask, both metaphorically and physically.” 

“You have to make it look like you are okay, that you are happy, and that you aren’t slowly breaking down inside. You feel that no one does notice that, that no one can because you’ve hidden so well. You make it seem like you are this perfect hero. But you don’t feel that way.” Marinette said putting a hand on Emma’s shoulder. 

“It feels like no one truly knows how I feel. No one understands me anymore. I have to shut people out and put all of my energy into protecting everyone. I feel like I always put everyone before me because I have to, I feel like I could crush and burn at any moment, I feel like I can’t breathe sometimes, I feel so tired all the time,” Emma said looking up at her Maman, “I’m so tired of everything all the time. I’m tired of faking it all. I’m tired of not caring for myself. I’m tired of feeling this way.” 

Marinette took her daughters hands into hers and said, “Feeling all of those things is normal. Feeling like you could crash and burn is something terrifying. You feel that if you fuck up the entire world will hate you. Hell, you probably hate yourself.” 

“Some days yeah, I do hate myself, or feel that I could have done something sooner or better. Some days I feel proud of myself and that I did a great job. Other days I feel numb to everything, to the world, my family and friends, to the people who akumatized.” Emma paused and said, “Sometimes it just gets really loud in my head.”

“I know Emma, I know. Sometimes you feel that you tried you best and other times you feel that you did your best. But, every time you are out there, fighting, you are doing the best you can. You are doing the absolute best you can, and you have done a magnificent job Emma.” 

“See you say that but it doesn’t feel that way! In the media I am constantly compared to your Ladybug and the one after you, Ladybeetle! Like I said no one, not the media, or my friends, or our family cares about how I feel. Even as Emma I’m compared to people all the time. Like when I have 9 people compared me to Gabriel, or when I was 13 being compared to Louis and Hugo when it came to school, and now when I’m 17, I am being compared to you.” Emma said.

“I know it’s hard being any version of yourself. Given the family history and your last name, being a superhero after there has already been two, and having older siblings. You shouldn’t have ever been compared to anyone, the media doesn’t know how to separate people. They think just because you have one person who is so prominent in you family that everyone has to be compared to them. Look at your Papa! People still question and compare him to Gabriel all the time!” Marinette said.

Unknown to Emma and Marinette, Adrien was standing outside of the door and heard majority of the conversation, even the last bit his wife had said. “It’s all true Emma.” Adrien said walking into the room. 

“Everyday is hard, and everyday you are compared to someone or something about another person. It feels like you can’t go a day without thinking about being compared but, you have to remember you are your own person. You aren’t you Grandfather, you aren’t you Maman, you aren’t your brothers. You are Emma. That’s the only person you have to be.” he continued.

“That’s all we’ve ever wanted you to be Emma, yourself. We want you to care too much, we want you to not have to worry about carrying everyone’s pain because you shouldn’t have too. We want you to come to us when you feel this way so we can have an open conversation. We want you to feel like you can breathe and live.” Marinette said. 

“Thank you. Both of you. I know I can be tough and hard to crack. I just don’t want to feel this way forever. I don’t want this pain to be for evermore.” Emma said. 

“It won’t be. I can promise you that Ems.” Adrien said walking over to hug his daughter. 

Emma and Adrien hugged but before she pulled away Emma said, “Wait if Ladybug ended up with Chat Noir then that means that your Chat Noir!” 

Adrien pulled away and looked at his wife and said, “See shes the smart one!”. Marinette laughed and heard Louis say from the hallway, “She’s not the smartest! That would be me!”. 

Emma shook her head and ran after her older brother yelling, “We all know I’m the smartest Louis!” “Mhm yeah sure you are Ems.” “She is smarter than you Louis!” Hugo yelled from downstairs. “Shut up Hugo!”


End file.
